posture: Meaning and Definition of

pos•ture

Pronunciation: (pos'chur), [key]
— n., v., -tured, -tur•ing.
—n.
  1. the relative disposition of the parts of something.
  2. the position of the limbs or the carriage of the body as a whole: poor posture; a sitting posture.
  3. an affected or unnatural attitude: He struck a comic posture.
  4. a mental or spiritual attitude: His ideas reveal a defensive posture.
  5. one's image or policy as perceived by the public, other nations, etc.: The company wants to develop a more aggressive marketing posture.
  6. position, condition, or state, as of affairs.
—v.t.
  1. to place in a particular posture or attitude.
  2. to position, esp. strategically: to posture troops along a border.
  3. to develop a policy or stance for (oneself, a company, government, etc.): The White House postured itself for dealing with the fuel crisis.
  4. to adopt an attitude or take an official position on (a matter): The company postured that the court's ruling could be interpreted as being in its favor.
—v.i.
  1. to assume a particular posture.
  2. to assume affected or unnatural postures, as by bending or contorting the body.
  3. to act in an affected or artificial manner, as to create a certain impression.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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